


handsprings & heartthrobs

by moondanse



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, American Football, M/M, Mutual Pining, cheerleader lee jeno, football player lee donghyuck, side mark/mina
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:33:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24778441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moondanse/pseuds/moondanse
Summary: Jeno hears a rumor that Lee Donghyuck, local football star and his crush of three years, only dates cheerleaders. So he becomes one.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Lee Jeno
Comments: 69
Kudos: 415





	handsprings & heartthrobs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mullethyuck](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mullethyuck/gifts).



> hello and HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASH!
> 
> this is for my dear friend, [mullethyuck](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mullethyuck), who has quickly become someone i cherish v dearly and look forward to talking to every day. she loves nohyuck and jock!hyuck (esp american football hyuck) so this one is For Her. ash, thank you for helping to revitalize my creative energy, for making me smile, for expanding my music taste, and for putting up with my bullying. i hope you have a wonderful 25th birthday (#prettyage25)!!! i love you so much!!!
> 
> i wrote this in two sittings (it was like an out of body experience) so i hope it's alright! kudos and comments greatly appreciated!
> 
> quick shout out to amanda, berry, marta, and kirby for sprinting with me to get this done so quickly. truly couldn't have done it without ur motivation. :*

"I think I'm gonna try out for cheerleading."

There's a beat of silence before chaos erupts at the lunch table. Chenle snorts so hard that milk comes out of his nose. Renjun nearly chokes on a noodle he'd accidentally inhaled in shock. Jaemin shrieks, voice loud enough to turn heads.

Jeno blushes. "What? Why are you all reacting like that?"

Renjun takes a moment to clear his throat, batting at his chest. "Are you kidding? _You? Cheerleading?"_ He gives Jeno an incredulous look. "No offense, but you're not exactly athletic, Jen."

"Hey! I go biking with Jaemin all the time..." Jeno pouts and sends his friend a desperate look. Jaemin merely shrugs - there's a wide grin on his face, as if he finds this highly amusing.

"Biking is biking. Cheerleading involves like, lifting people up and doing mid-air splits. One doesn't just... _casually_ decide to try out for cheerleading," Renjun continues.

Jeno frowns. "I guess..."

Chenle reaches out and pats Jeno on the back. "What makes you want to try out?" he asks. "You've never shown an interest before. I think it'd be hard, but you could probably do it if you practiced enough."

Jeno has thought about this long and hard. Yes, cheerleading is... intense. Yes, it would require a lot of physical training and commitment. Yes, he'd probably get weird looks from a lot of people. But if he made it onto the squad, he'd actually have a chance.

You know, _the_ chance.

"Well, um," Jeno mumbles, cheeks flushing red. "I heard this rumor..."

The grin on Jaemin's face finally breaks as he lets out a loud peal of laughter. "Oh my god," he says, doubling over. "This is about your crush on Lee Donghyuck, isn't it."

Jeno doesn't answer, but the red flush of his cheeks is enough to send Jaemin into hysterics again. Renjun scoffs, and Chenle reaches out to pat Jeno's back once more.

His "crush" on Lee Donghyuck, star of the football team, is no secret. Jeno's been pining after him since they first met, and despite having a negligible amount of actual interactions with him, the pining has not once died down. It's been going on three years now and Jeno is tired of feeling unnoticed. He knows Lee Donghyuck is way out of his league, but would it kill him to acknowledge him? Even just _once?_

"Why cheerleading?" Renjun asks, eyebrow raised. "If you want to get closer to Donghyuck, wouldn't joining the football team be an easier way to do that?"

"Well," Jeno starts again, embarrassed. "Sure. But Lee Donghyuck doesn't date other footballers. He dates cheerleaders."

Or at least that's what the rumors say. He doesn't remember where he heard it, but it makes sense, doesn't it? Star football player with a hot cheerleader on his arm. It's a perfect cliche; who wouldn't want that?

Jaemin laughs again, and this time Chenle joins him. "Jeno, my dude," Chenle giggles. "You're going to join cheerleading just because you heard that Donghyuck likes them?"

"Yes." Jeno frowns. Like they haven't done equally as desperate things in their lifetimes! "I heard he _only_ dates cheerleaders. And it must be true. Think about it: how many people have been rejected by him? It's because they weren't his type!"

"So you think you can just... magically become his type. By learning how to do flips and shit."

"Exactly."

"Jeno..."

He knows it's stupid. But at this point, what does he have to lose?

Across from him, Jaemin sighs. "...good luck, man."

He'll certainly need it.

***

Jeno trains for weeks leading up to tryouts. It's difficult, but manageable. He isn't entirely out of shape; he works out from time to time and goes on hikes and the like, but it's been a while since he really gave it his all. He spends any ounce of free time he can grasp watching cheer videos on youtube. He even calls his cousin, Yeeun, asking if she has any advice. She laughs at him for a little while, but her tips are actually quite helpful.

By the time tryouts roll around, he's ready. And nervous. _Very_ nervous.

"You're the first guy we've had try out for the squad in a while," the cheer captain, Mina, says. She approaches Jeno with a smile and hands him a water bottle. He accepts it with shaking hands. "Haven't had any male cheerleaders since I was a freshman."

"Thanks," Jeno responds, taking a gulp of water to calm his nerves. He's not sure what else to say - it's clear that he's the only guy here.

"No problem. You're friends with Mark, right?" Mina asks.

Jeno nods. He knows Mark, Mina's boyfriend and captain of the football team. (Apparently everyone on the team is into cheerleaders.) They went to middle school together and were sort of friends, though they aren't very close anymore. Still, Jeno is friendly with Mark and wouldn't hesitate to say hi to him in the hallways.

"Yeah, Mark's cool," he says. "I bet he'd laugh at me if he knew I was trying out for cheerleading, though."

Mina laughs then, and shakes her head. "Nah, Mark's a sweetie, he wouldn't do that," she says. "Why do you say that, anyway? You're good, Jeno. Better than some of these girls. But don't tell anyone I told you that."

There's a flutter of hope in his chest, one that sets his heart beating and hands shaking all over again. If Mina thinks he's good, then he might actually make it onto the squad. And if he actually makes it onto the squad...

"Unnie!"

A shout interrupts Jeno's train of thought, and Mina is summoned over to talk with some of the other girls already on the squad. Jeno takes another swig of water and readies himself for round two of tryouts.

Lee Donghyuck, here he comes.

***

To everyone's surprise, he makes it onto the squad.

He's the talk of the town for at least a week, being the first male cheerleader their school has seen for a while, and it's embarrassing. Jeno wishes it weren't such a big deal, but at the same time, if it gets him noticed by Lee Donghyuck, then he doesn't care _how_ embarrassing it is.

Among the other newcomers are a freshman named Yuna, and two girls in Jeno's year named Sookyung and Seojeong. Jeno is a little bit awkward with them at first, not accustomed to hanging around with only girls, but he finds their company refreshing. It's a much needed change of pace from his own friends' boyish teasing, that's for sure.

"How do the unnies do it?" Seojeong whines as they do their stretches, her arms reaching out to grip at the tips of her toes. "This routine is so haaaaard."

"We just need to practice more," Sookyung assures her. "It's because they've all been on the team for much longer than us. We'll get there, don't worry."

Jeno does his stretches in a daze, tired from a math test he took that morning. Seojeong and Sookyung continue chattering next to him, and he's pretty sure Yuna has asked him a question of some sort, but his brain simply isn't working at the moment. He's busy staring into space when something finally manages to catch his attention: _Lee Donghyuck._

He's with Mark, who appears to be waiting for Mina to finish up practice, presumably so they can go on a date or something afterwards. Jeno feels his heart rate speed up at the mere sight of his crush, and he quickly averts his eyes. Suddenly, he wishes he had been paying more attention to Yuna's conversation starter.

"What?" Jeno blurts, looking over at the three girls apologetically. "Sorry, I'm kind of out of it right now."

Yuna giggles next to him. "We can tell," she says. Her eyes flit over towards Mark and Donghyuck, and Jeno's eyes widen. "Lee Donghyuck?" she asks, head tilted in curiosity.

Oh, no. Not them too.

Jeno blushes and tries to focus on widening his splits. Sookyung and Seojeong have tuned in at the mention of Donghyuck, though, and now all eyes are on him. He coughs nervously.

"I mean, isn't everyone at least a little into him...?" he asks, shy.

Seojeong's mouth forms a little "O," which is cute but incriminating. "Ooooh," she says, grinning. Jeno feels like dying. "That's cute. I support. Let's get Jeno a boyfriend!"

"Stop, no, please," Jeno begs, hiding his face in his hands.

Yuna laughs and Sookyung sends him a sympathetic smile. "So you _don't_ want him to be your boyfriend?" Yuna asks.

"I mean..."

Before the girls can tease him any more, Jeno hears someone calling out his name.

"Jeno! Lee Jeno!" Mina shouts from across the gym. She's gesturing for him to come over to her... over to _them._ Jeno sends his new friends a panicked look and is met only with encouraging smiles and a few thumbs up. He gulps.

"Good luck, oppa!" Yuna whispers as Jeno hauls himself off the gym floor. He jogs over towards Mina and company slowly, trying his best to calm the erratic beating of his heart along the way.

"Er, hey," he says as he arrives. His eyes instinctively land on Donghyuck, and he inhales a sharp breath.

Lee Donghyuck is _gorgeous._ He and Mark must have just finished their own practice, because his hair is fresh and wet from a shower and he's got his gym bag slung over one shoulder. Jeno knows he's staring, and yet he can't pull his eyes away. Instead he simply blinks and tries not to combust as Mina introduces him.

"This is Lee Jeno; he's our new base," Mina says. "He's a natural; you guys are gonna flip when you see him perform at the game this weekend."

Mark sends a big grin Jeno's way, breaking him out of his Donghyuck-induced reverie. "Hey, man! Long time no talk. So you joined cheer? That's cool."

"Uh, yeah," Jeno says. He tears his eyes away from Donghyuck to give Mark a smile and a nod. "Felt like a change of pace."

"Is that the reason?"

Jeno freezes at the sound of Donghyuck's voice, honey sweet yet sharp. He blinks, turning towards his crush with heated cheeks.

"Huh...?"

Donghyuck smiles at him, a predatory sort of smile, and Jeno feels simultaneously afraid and turned on. "Oh, nothing," Donghyuck says, adjusting the strap of his bag. "Just that some people are saying you tried out to get close to the girls on the team. To have an in, or to see them in their uniforms every day, like some kind of pervert. Is that true?"

He understands the smile, now, and the accusatory eyebrow lift that Donghyuck is sending him. He's being protective. The realization is devastating - could he get any hotter? Jeno flushes under his gaze and shakes his head.

"No, of course not," he says. "I'd never do something like that. Besides, I'm super gay."

The words leave his mouth before he really has a chance to stop them. Mark's eyes widen and Mina laughs a little at the suddenness of the admission, but it's relatively painless. Jeno still kinda wants to die, though.

"Oh." Donghyuck's gaze softens, then turns curious as it slides up and down Jeno's figure. Jeno is on fire, Lee Donghyuck's eyes burning holes into every part of his body. "Cool."

_Cool. Lee Donghyuck thinks me being super gay is cool._

"Well--" Mark interrupts, an awkward laugh bubbling out of his mouth. "You guys should get back to practicing. Just wanted to say hi, dude. Can't wait to see you at the game."

Jeno can hardly form words; his mind is too full of _Lee Donghyuck._ "Y-yeah," he manages, eyes cast down at the linoleum of the gym floor. "See you."

Mina sends Mark off with a playful smack to the shoulder and kiss to the cheek, and Donghyuck follows him. Part of Jeno wishes he hadn't.

***

Things are a little weird after that.

The football team has their first game of the season, and Jeno is all nerves. Their halftime performance goes off without a hitch, and Jeno has their sideline routine down pat - it's just. _Lee Donghyuck._ He's driving Jeno absolutely crazy. Even more than usual, and that's saying something.

They've run into each other a few times in the halls, but unlike previous years where Jeno would be completely ignored, now Donghyuck actually says hello. Jeno has to steel himself each time so that he doesn't do something stupid like run into a locker, and so far he's done alright. He _did_ almost drop Jiwoo - one of their fliers - during a game, though. In his defense, Donghyuck had taken his helmet off, shaken his hair out of his face, and turned to smile at him after a particularly impressive play. You win some, you lose some. (Sorry, Jiwoo.)

Jeno can't believe his plan is actually kind of working. His friends can't believe it, either, and they continuously hound him any chance they get.

"Are you sure he was checking you out?" Renjun asks, face twisted up in disbelief.

"Either that or I had something embarrassing stuck to my clothes. In like, every spot possible," Jeno shrugs. It's unbelievable to him, too, that someone like Lee Donghyuck would be interested in _him_ \- but that seems to be the case. At least minimally.

"So when are you making a move?" Jaemin asks, elbows on the table as he leans into Jeno's personal space. "He's noticed you now. What next?"

His cheeks redden again; it seems to be their default color these days. "I don't know," he says with a sigh. "I'm still too nervous. Every time he looks at me I like, shit myself."

"Gross," Chenle snorts. "You might wanna get that checked out."

"Not literally, you dumbass." Jeno rolls his eyes. "Anyway, I don't know. I need more opportunities to hang out with him alone but there aren't really any. Maybe I should ask Mark to help...? But god, that's so embarrassing..."

Renjun slings an arm around Jeno's shoulder and shrugs. "Not any less embarrassing than anything you've done so far, my dude."

Jeno pouts and shoves a bite of chicken salad into his mouth. He would argue, but there's no point. Besides, Renjun's not wrong.

"Try flirting with him in the locker room or something," Chenle suggests. "Even though you guys have different practice times, there's gotta be some overlap during games, right?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"You got this, Jen!" Jaemin cheers. "You'll have your hot football boyfriend in no time, I promise."

"Thanks," Jeno says. "I sure hope so."

***

Mark's intervention turns out to be unnecessary. Jeno runs into Lee Donghyuck on his own, at the park on a sunny weekend.

"Jeno," Donghyuck calls out, voice soft and light. "Hey."

Jeno shoots up from where he's crouched on the ground, immediately alert. "Oh, h-hey!" he nearly squeaks. He brushes the dirt off of his hoodie, suddenly hyper aware of how disheveled he must look.

"Hey," Donghyuck repeats with a smile. "What are you doing...?"

And there's the blush again. Jeno bites at his bottom lip, embarrassed. "Oh, uh," he starts. "There's a cat... or there was. She ran into the bushes; I was trying to see if she'd come out."

Donghyuck laughs then, and Jeno thinks it might be the most beautiful sound he's ever heard. Lee Donghyuck's laughter sounds like wind chimes in the summer, feels like sunshine pouring over your skin. Jeno shudders.

"Cute," Donghyuck says. The smile on his face is soft, endeared. "You like cats?"

Jeno nods happily. "Love them," he says. "Though I'm allergic. I don't let that stop me, though."

"Allergic?" Donghyuck chuckles and moves to crouch where Jeno was previously trying to coax the cat out of her hiding place. He holds out a hand and makes a little "pss pss" noise. Jeno thinks he may be in love. "You're interesting, Lee Jeno."

"Me?" Jeno's breath gets caught in his throat. "No, you."

It's a stupid response, and he can practically hear his friends making fun of him in his head, but it makes Donghyuck laugh and that's all that matters. Jeno thinks he'd do just about anything to make Lee Donghyuck laugh.

"Thanks," Donghyuck says. He turns back to the bush. "Here, kitty."

"She might be scared," Jeno says. Carefully, he steps closer to Donghyuck and crouches next to him. They're close, closer than they've ever been before, and Jeno tries his best to steady his breathing. "I've seen her around here before, but it's a bit busier today so she might be overwhelmed."

Donghyuck turns to look at him. Suddenly, his eyes widen, as if he's only just realized something. "Oh," he says, eyes boring into Jeno's face. Jeno gulps. "I didn't know you wore glasses."

Jeno lets out a nervous laugh and adjusts his glasses, now suddenly ten times more aware of them than he was before. "Yeah," he says. "My eyesight's shit. I wear contacts for cheer, though. Not looking for any glasses related incidents to happen."

"Right, that makes sense," Donghyuck says. He nods, thoughtful, then smiles. "They're cute. You're cute, Jeno."

Jeno's brain nearly malfunctions. He stares back at Donghyuck like a deer in the headlights, which makes him laugh again, and all Jeno can do is try not to die on the spot. Lee Donghyuck just called him cute. _Lee Donghyuck_ just called him _cute._

"You're-- um--" Jeno stutters, so many words on the tip of his tongue and yet none seem to want to come out.

"Take your time," Donghyuck says with a grin. His eyes are alight with mischief and something akin to adoration, and Jeno feels his throat closing up.

"You're hute," he finally blurts. "I mean. Cute. Hot. Cute and hot... oh god."

This time Donghyuck laughs so hard that he falls from his crouching position onto his butt, head thrown back in mirth. "Hute. That's a new one," he says between giggles as he rests on the palms of his hands. "Thanks, Jeno. You're hute, too."

Jeno can hear Jaemin telling him to _make a move_ in the back of his head, so he opens his mouth to ask Donghyuck for his number or something when suddenly SHINee's _View_ starts blaring from Donghyuck's pockets. Scrambling for his phone, Donghyuck sends Jeno an apologetic look before answering.

"Hello? Yes, sorry. I'm on my way. I know... okay, see you soon."

The bubbly feeling in the air deflates as he hangs up. Donghyuck sighs and stands, brushing the dirt off his jeans. "Sorry, Jeno," he says. "I have to go. But I'll see you around, okay?"

Nodding, Jeno follows suit and stands. He's sure his cat friend is long gone by now, and there's no point in making his thighs more tired than they need to be on a game week. "No problem," he says. "See you around."

Donghyuck flashes him one last smile before jogging away. Jeno sighs. Forget “crush” - this is full-on infatuation.

***

The first time Jeno actually sees Donghyuck in the locker room is the following Thursday, the day before the football team is set to play their next game.

He isn't expecting to find him there. The football team usually practices longer than the cheerleaders, and Jeno hardly ever lingers after practice. Being the only guy on the team means he has nobody to gossip with while he gets changed, so he'd really rather just go home and shower than waste more time at school than necessary.

Today, though, Jeno is cleaning out his locker to make room for their new winter uniforms. He folds his gym clothes carefully, setting them in a nice pile so they won't get wrinkled. Mina will have his head if he shows up to a game looking ragged, and he'd rather not make his captain angry.

"Jeno? Is that you?"

Jeno turns at the sound of Donghyuck's voice. It's just the two of them in the locker room, and the realization marks a noticeable shift in the atmosphere.

"Hi," Jeno greets, blushing. "Is your practice over already?"

Donghyuck is still fully decked out in his football gear. Jeno thinks he looks incredible. He has to stop himself from openly staring at his legs; he chooses to focus on the wide shoulder pads, instead.

"Nah," Donghyuck says. He rummages through his locker, a few down the row from Jeno's, and pulls out an ace bandage. "Just came to grab something to wrap my ankle. It's been acting up a little."

Jeno frowns. "Oh, are you okay?" he asks. "You shouldn't run on a hurt ankle..."

Donghyuck smiles. "It's fine," he says. "Nothing major. Just an old injury that doesn't know when to quit. Stubborn bitch."

That gets a laugh out of Jeno. He leans against the wall of lockers, a little awkward. "Well, I hope she gives up the fight soon," he says.

"Yeah." There's a slight pause, and for a moment the air between them is stifling. Jeno wonders what he should say next, if he should ask Donghyuck out or something, but this thought is cut short when Donghyuck throws a piece of cloth in his face.

"Wha--"

"Here," Donghyuck says, sounding a little sheepish. "Wear that tomorrow. Game day. We all wear our jerseys for good luck."

Jeno sputters and holds the offending cloth up in front of him. His cheeks burn as he realizes that Donghyuck has just given him his jersey to wear. His _jersey._ Isn't that like, a couple thing? He's seen Mina sporting Mark's jersey on game days before, and he's pretty sure it's not something friends regularly do.

"O-oh," Jeno says, wringing the fabric in his hands nervously. "But what will you wear, then...?"

The lighting in the locker room is shit, and he may be imagining it, but Jeno thinks Donghyuck's cheeks are a bit red, too. "That's my away jersey," he says with a laugh. "I'll wear my home one. We'll match. It'll be cute. Hute, even."

"Okay." Jeno clutches the jersey tightly to his chest. His heart thrums against it. "I'll wear it. Wouldn't want to cause bad luck, after all."

The smile Donghyuck sends him is so soft that Jeno nearly melts. "Great," he says. "I have to go back to practice now. Bye, Jeno."

Jeno swallows, his throat thick with hope and anticipation.

"Bye, Donghyuck."

***

Over the past few months or so, Jeno has grown to really enjoy cheerleading. Not that he thought he wouldn't, he just wasn't expecting to become so invested in the team. The girls are some of his closest friends now, and the routines are difficult but fun. He wakes up on Friday looking forward to tonight's game; not only because he gets to see Donghyuck play, but also because he gets to cheer for him.

He slips on the jersey and examines himself in the mirror.

It's strange, to be marked with Donghyuck's name (even if it's technically his name, too) and to see the number 66 emblazoned on his back. His mom gives him a curious look over breakfast, but says nothing, to which Jeno is extremely grateful. He already knows he's going to be teased mercilessly by not only Jaemin, Chenle, and Renjun - but by Seojeong, Sookyung and Yuna, too. Sometimes Jeno regrets not making friends with kinder people.

At school, everyone stares. Several people ask him if he's dating Donghyuck, to which he eloquently replies, "I don't know?" Jaemin gives him so much shit, tells him that if he doesn't make a move ASAP he'll do it himself, and Mark gives him an enthusiastic thumbs up when he sees him in the hallways.

The day is tiring; Jeno's never gotten so much attention from so many people in his life. On top of that, he hasn't seen Donghyuck once, which is more than a little dispiriting.

By the time classes are over, Jeno feels like collapsing on the spot. Not good, considering he has a whole ass cheerleading routine to do in a few hours. He'll need to rally, or the entire team will suffer on his behalf. The girls deserve better than that.

He finally sees Donghyuck just before the game. They're set up on the field, running drills before the opposing team arrives. Jeno is sitting with Yuna doing stretches. He's swapped out Donghyuck's jersey for his own uniform by now. Donghyuck approaches them with a wave and Yuna gives Jeno an incriminating side-eye. He hopes to god she doesn't say anything too embarrassing.

"Hey, Jeno!" Donghyuck calls out as he jogs over towards them. There's a smile on his face, bright and warm, and it makes Jeno smile, too. "I'm so sorry I didn't get a chance to talk to you earlier," he continues, "Today's been wild. But I saw you wore it! Thank you!"

Jeno can feel Yuna's eyes boring holes into his skull, but he ignores her in favor of looking up at Donghyuck. His head is backlit by the sun, and it gives the illusion of a halo resting atop his golden brown hair. Fitting.

"Of course," Jeno says. "Happy to be your good luck charm."

Donghyuck's grin grows wider. "I hope you know that if we lose, it's your fault," he teases. "I've never given someone my jersey before. Might have messed with the voodoo."

"You won't lose," Jeno laughs. He reaches out to continue his stretches and watches as Donghyuck's eyes linger over the muscles in his back. _Oh._

"Well, I sure hope not," Donghyuck says.

Their conversation is once again cut short as both Jeno and Donghyuck are called over by their respective captains. Yuna nudges Jeno's side the whole way over, to which he simply mutters "shut up."

But he's smiling. Lee Donghyuck, his crush of three years, has finally noticed him. No amount of teasing can bring him down from this high.

***

The football season progresses, and with it, Jeno and Donghyuck's relationship. Much to Jaemin's chagrin, no official moves have been made yet - but judging by the amount of flirty smiles, shy glances and sweet gestures, they aren't too far off.

There's an away game this weekend. Jeno is nervous, as always. It doesn't help that his friends won't be there to cheer him on this time; the school they're playing against is at least an hour away. They're going to be on their own.

It's a long bus ride. Jeno is cursed with the misfortune of getting easily carsick, so he can't even play on his phone or read a book to pass the time. He's dreading the ride already, wishing they'd just magically arrive at their destination. Sitting still for an hour only makes his stomach churn with nervous energy.

He tugs on the strap of his gym bag with a sigh. At least he has the squad to keep him distracted.

"This seat taken?"

Jeno looks up from where he's resting his head against the grimy bus window and blinks. Donghyuck smiles down at him, features soft and hopeful. His heart lurches in his chest.

"Oh," Jeno says, surprised. He glances down the aisle towards Yuna; the two of them usually sit together on bus rides. She catches his eye and gives him an encouraging thumbs up. He gulps and turns back to Donghyuck. "No, please."

Donghyuck slides into the seat next to Jeno, their thighs knocking together. Jeno offers him a shy smile and an earbud. "I thought you were on the other bus," he says. Normally the football team travels in one bus while the cheerleaders and band pile into the other. A quick glance around tells Jeno that there aren't any other footballers present.

"Asked if I could switch," Donghyuck says with an easy shrug. Jeno tries not to overthink the implications of that statement. "Shawn Mendes, huh? Kinda basic, don't you think?"

It takes him a moment to realize that Donghyuck is referring to his music. He'd been so caught up in their conversation that he nearly forgot it was playing. He blushes and looks down at his phone.

"What do you listen to, then?" he asks.

Donghyuck gestures for Jeno to give him the phone. He does so without question. Normally he wouldn't trust anyone with his expensive electronics, but there's something about Donghyuck that makes him inherently trustworthy. Jeno watches with mild fascination as Donghyuck taps through the Spotify app, long fingers moving quickly and with purpose.

A [ smooth tune](https://open.spotify.com/track/1QTmzOFJj5RsaTIu2pBoyh?si=WNDR5muuQIGU3X_CudZFyw) begins playing in his ear.

"Try this," Donghyuck says. He leans his head back on the seat, eyes slipping closed in concentration. "This is the good shit."

Jeno listens, and Jeno watches. In moments he's completely entranced - not only by the dreamy sound of the song, but also by the way Donghyuck's face looks so serene and focused. The sight is absolutely breathtaking, and Jeno can't pull his eyes away.

"I can feel you staring."

His cheeks flush red. "Oh," he splutters. "Sorry."

Donghyuck laughs and turns his head, cheek resting on the back of the seat. His mouth slips into a lazy grin. "It's fine," he says. "You like the song?"

Jeno nods. He likes it, but he likes Donghyuck more.

"I'll make you a playlist. Can't have my boy listening to Shawn Mendes any longer than necessary," Donghyuck continues.

Jeno's brain whirrs at Donghyuck calling him _his boy_. _I'm Donghyuck's boy,_ he thinks, _and he's going to make me a playlist!_

"Is Shawn Mendes really so bad?" he asks, pouting, because it's the only thing he can manage to say without combusting.

"Queen is the only Shawn Mendes song with rights," Donghyuck announces. "Don't worry, we'll fix you right up." He pats Jeno's bicep, then sidles up closer and rests his head on his shoulder. If Jeno wasn't ready to explode before, he definitely is now.

One hour flies by faster than Jeno ever thought it could. Time passes differently with Donghyuck, all at once too fast and yet unbearably slow. Jeno doesn't remember what else they talk about, but it’s nice. Donghyuck's body is warm against his and his presence is comforting. He doesn't want it to end.

When they finally arrive, Donghyuck holds Jeno back so that they're the last people on the bus. Yuna, Seojeong and Sookyung give him curious looks as they exit. Jeno makes a mental note to ask them to stop being so goddamn obvious; it's embarrassing.

"What's up?" Jeno asks. Every inch of his body thrums with nervous electricity, though this time it’s not because of the upcoming game.

Donghyuck bites at his bottom lip. Jeno's eyes follow the movement instinctively. His breath catches in his throat.

"If we win," Donghyuck starts. "Can I have a kiss?"

This is it. This is the moment. Jeno channels every ounce of willpower into not passing out on the spot. He takes a deep breath and nods, slowly.

"Even if you lose you can have a kiss," he says. His entire body is flushed red with embarrassment, but he manages to get through the sentence without fucking up. Donghyuck sends him a bright smile in response.

"We won't lose," he says. "I've got my lucky charm cheering for me." And he leans up to give Jeno a delicate kiss on the cheek.

***

They win.

Despite the meager amount of students present from their school, the stands erupt in cheers as the final whistle blows, signaling their victory. Jeno feels breathless, both from the rigorous exercise of cheerleading and from watching Donghyuck score the final touchdown. His head swims as his teammates celebrate beside him. It was a close game, but they won.

The football players have lifted Donghyuck up and are currently chanting his name. Jeno feels giddy, the smile never leaving his face as he watches _his boy_ get showered in praise. Mina claps him on the back and nods towards the field.

"You gonna go congratulate him or what?" she asks, a cheeky grin on her face. Jeno blushes and nods.

Before he can make his way over, however, Donghyuck is released by his teammates and immediately starts barreling towards him. He discards his helmet on the ground as he runs, nearly tripping over his own two feet. Jeno hardly has time to react before Donghyuck is jumping into his arms and pressing a big, wet kiss against his lips.

Laughter bubbles up between them. Jeno wraps his arms around Donghyuck, holding him steady, and kisses back. Donghyuck pulls back slightly to breath before diving in again, peppering kiss after kiss all over Jeno's face and lips. Around them, both cheerleaders and football players alike begin egging them on. Jeno can pick out Jiwoo's high pitched squealing and Mark's loud whoops of encouragement. He smiles against Donghyuck's lips, pulling him closer by the waist.

"Told you we wouldn't lose," Donghyuck whispers into him.

Jeno laughs and presses their foreheads together. "I'm glad you didn't," he says. "I was really looking forward to that kiss."

"Me too," Donghyuck says. "But we're all sweaty and I've got turf in my cleats, so maybe we should save the making out for another time." He laughs, patting Jeno's uniform down where his grip caused it to wrinkle. "The people have had enough of a show for today."

"As long as we get to make out at some point," Jeno shrugs. Donghyuck laughs again and pulls away, lacing their fingers together.

"Don't worry," he says. "We will."

***

"Everyone's spreading rumors about us, you know," Donghyuck chuckles as he slings his legs over Jeno's lap. They're hanging out on Jeno's couch, TV murmuring in the background and snacks half-eaten on the table.

After their very public first kiss, those present had started telling their own versions of the event to those unlucky (or lucky?) enough not to witness it. Some people insist they had a full make out session on the field and had to get pulled apart by the referees. Others say it was an accident, that they somehow collided in the chaos and ended up kissing. Jeno isn't sure which he finds more ridiculous.

"Shouldn't you be used to that?" Jeno snorts, popping a Cheeto into his mouth. "You're popular; people are always spreading rumors about you."

Donghyuck sits up straight and gives Jeno a curious look. "Oh? Like what?"

He should have seen this coming. Sooner or later he'd have to own up to his ulterior motive; he just didn't think it would happen so quickly. Blushing, Jeno clears his throat and averts his eyes.

"Uh... like... you only date cheerleaders," he admits.

There's a split second of silence before Donghyuck immediately bursts into laughter, leaning against Jeno's shoulder for support. "Someone said that?" he exclaims. "How funny."

Jeno isn't sure what that's supposed to mean.

"So it's not true...?" he asks. "You don't only date cheerleaders?"

Donghyuck's giggles begin to die down as he thinks about it, mouth pressed into a thin line. "Well," he says. "I mean, I've never really dated anyone? But it's not like I rejected people simply because they weren't cheerleaders."

"Oh." He should have expected that it was all bullshit, yet he still feels embarrassed for falling for it. Still, his plan worked, so he can't really be too upset.

"But you're a cheerleader, right, Jeno?"

Jeno blinks. "Yes...?" Of course Donghyuck knows this. Why is he asking?

He grins. "Then I guess it is true."

***

Lee Donghyuck is the school's star football player, and Jeno has been in love with him for three years. Donghyuck doesn't only date cheerleaders, but he's dating Jeno, and Jeno sure is glad he became one.

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> hmu on [twitter](https://twitter.com/dreamrunmp3)!


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